In Philippa Ballantine’s Chasing the Bard, William Shakespeare’s bardic gift possesses the power to save his world and the world of the fey.

On the day William Shakespeare was born; his Art called to the world of the fey. Will experiences his Art as ideas demanding to be released. When he learns of its power, he rebels and flees from Sive, his first and only love, to London where his Art is expressed in plays and sonnets. However, an ancient enemy hunts him down and he cannot hide forever.

Sive the Shining chose her cousin Puck the Trickster to watch over Will. She sees the potential in Will to defeat her husband. As Sive guides Will, while seeking to uncover the source of her husband’s evil power, she develops feelings for him. Abruptly, Sive flees her world for the mortal realm and demands that Will embrace his fey heritage. His refusal leaves her frustrated and angry.

From birth Puck has watched and protected Will. His guardianship of Will has forever changed him. He knows that Will would gladly follow Sive to his death out of love, but her arrogance towards humanity drives Will away. Puck watches Sive hide her feelings from Will, and he despairs for their home. Will Puck’s fondness for humanity open Sive’s eyes to haughtiness?

Chasing the Bard is a saga of love and betrayal. In a time when magic is slowly dying at the hand of the church, the fey return one last time for help. Philippa Ballantine expertly describes the life and times of Elizabethan England within a story of ancient magic and power. Chasing the Bard deftly weaves history and fantasy within the mortal and fey world. Maybe he was called the Bard for reasons beyond his plays and sonnets.

Chasing the Bard intrigued and mesmerized me with its tale of heartache and sorrow. Sive and Will’s relationship captured my heart and I longed for them to be together. Will became more than a part of history, he lived in Chasing the Bard and I will miss him. Philippa Ballantine brilliantly exposes the blindness that causes us to believe we don’t need each other whether human or not.

Reviewed by: Dena